ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. swing — in golf
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. bank — for money
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. swing — to play on
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. hand — help
  21. swing — music
  22. net — in sport
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bank — of a river

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com